Monthly Archives: September 2008

One of the gems of the Meadowlands is Harrier Meadow, a 70-acre wetland remediation site in North Arlington. Because of access issues, this wonderful locale is not open to the public. But the Meadowlands Commission will soon be offering guided walks as part of a pilot program. If the walks are successful, the program could be expanded. If you have e-mailed Jim Wright to be on the notification list for the walks, or if you signed up at the bird banding demonstration during the recent Bird Fest, you are all set. You should be hearing from us soon in the next day or so. If you haven’t signed up yet, now’s the time. For more on Harrier Meadow, click here. For a short video, click here.

NJMC naturalists are conducting a study to see what kinds of habitats should be created on the Meadowlands’ landfills to attract a greater diversity of migrating birds and to provide nesting habitat for threatened or endangered grasslands species, such as Savannah Sparrows and Grasshopper Sparrows.

As part of the study, Meadowlands Commission naturalists have been mist-netting birds on the Erie Landfill in North Arlington, banding them and recording their vital statistics, and then releasing them.

We will post the bird data for the week here on Friday afternoons through early November whenever possible.

Kearny Marsh, Kearny High School biology students and the NJMC’s swallow nesting-box program are the focus of a segment of the New Jersey Educuation Association’s TV show tomorrow (Saturday) at 9 a.m. on NJN. NJMC naturalist Gabrielle Bennett-Meany is featured in the segment as well. According to the program guide, "AP biology students from Kearny High School survey marshlands and then build and install bird houses in an effort to attract birds that combat mosquito infestations. The Meadowlands has the only fresh water in the area, creating a significant environmental impact for the residents of Kearny."A slideshow from the NJEA show is here. Consult your TV listings for more information.

We thought this guy was one attractive pigeon when we photographed him with a telephoto lens late yesterday afternoon. When we looked at the photo closely (see below), we realized he was a real thoroughbred — a racing pigeon or a show pigeon. He was seen atop the pavilion at the Meadowlands Environment Center. If you can tell us more, please do!

From Disposal Road in North Arlington around 9 this morning, we saw three harriers working the Erie Landfill. When we looked over the photographs we took (from quite a distance), we noticed a falcon perched on a rock on top of the landfill. Not long after, NJMC naturalist Michael Newhouse saw seven distant accipiters gaining altitude to the south of Harrier Meadow. With winds out of the northwest this morning, today should be a solid migration day. Footnote: Just before lunch, we saw two ospreys hunting the tidal impoundment by NJMC Headqurters in DeKorte Park in Lyndhurst. A great raptor morning.

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